National Police Misconduct NewsFeed Daily Recap 10-23-12

Here are the 8 reports of police misconduct tracked for Tuesday, October 23, 2012:

Wallkill, New York: A state trooper [Todd Warholic] has been suspended without pay after he was charged with assault and choking his girlfriend during a domestic dispute. He was also charged with unlawful imprisonment. ow.ly/eHDTR

Chattanooga, Tennessee: A man [Greg Luther] is suing the police after he had to undergo surgery to repair a rotator cuff injury he claims was caused by their mistreatment. The man says that he wanted to photograph a car crash that damaged his fence and retaining wall, and the officer [Brian Blumenberg] told him he could not. When the man asked to speak to his supervisor, the officer threw him to the ground, handcuffed him, and put him in the back of a patrol car. ow.ly/eHDlL

Modesto, California: A police officer [Robert Hodges, 40] has been arrested on charges that he sexually molested a female victim under 18 years old. “I was shocked to learn of the allegations. No person is above the law and we will professionally investigate criminal complaints, no matter what the occupation of the suspect is,” said the interim police chief. “We have a high expectation of our employees and will hold them accountable for their actions, whether they are on-duty or off-duty.” ow.ly/eHCQw

Flagstaff, Arizona: An officer [Corporal John Tewes] who used his baton, book and a cable to kill an injured dog has resigned from the department right before the investigation was completed. ow.ly/eHxUh

Whitaker, Pennsylvania: A police officer [Willliam S. Davis, 35] was charged with official oppression, attempted extortion, and related crimes. He was accused of using his gun to break a female driver’s window and threatening to send her to jail if she did not admit responsibility and pay the damage. Investigators found that “Officer Davis clearly provided (the woman) only two choices: accept total ‘responsibility’ for the incident … in which case Davis would not file any charges … or refuse to accept ‘responsibility’ and be charged. … This option … included the immediate threat of going to jail and the potential long-term negative impact on her employment.” ow.ly/eGd7v

Update: New York, New York: The officer [Nicholas Mina] accused of stealing guns from his department and selling them on the street for drug money has pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. ow.ly/eHwoZ

Tulsa, Oklahoma: A man [Brian Lumpkin, 24] filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against two officers [James Bohanon, Kevin Warne], alleging that one of the officers made him do push-ups on the side of the road after the officers illegally searched his car and found no drugs. “The most fundamental rights in our society are those of civil rights,” said his attorney. “We take very seriously these rights, particularly when they are violated by those entrusted with enforcing the law.” ow.ly/eHuUL

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: An officer [John Hargraves III] has been accused of assaulting his wife. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment, among other charges. ow.ly/eGe4r